First lot of asylum seekers head for Manus

Eoin Blackwell, AAP Papua New Guinea Correspondent

The first group of asylum seekers being shipped to Papua New Guinea under Australia's tough border policy will arrive on Wednesday morning, local health officials say.

Dr Otto Numan, chief executive of Manus Island's only hospital, told AAP the group are due to land at 7.30am (AEST).

This group, believed to be coming from Australia, will be the first arrivals since Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and his PNG counterpart, Peter O'Neill, agreed to expand asylum-seeker processing two weeks ago.

"I was told by PNG immigration officials," Dr Numan said on Tuesday.

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"I will be at the airport, checking the manifest to make sure they are who they are.

"They have already been seen by medical experts."

Australia's Department of Immigration declined to comment.

Comment is being sought from Immigration Minister Tony Burke.

Australia last week flew out more than 100 asylum seekers in preparation for the expanded intake.

Since Friday, industrial kitchens and marquees capable of sleeping up to 30 people have been flown to Manus on military C-130 aircraft.